Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to planning and optimization for a wireless network. In particular, the present invention relates to a system that monitors network performance, and makes changes to network parameters to enhance performance.
Description of the Related Art
Network planning of a wireless network relies on static approaches for site locations and dimensioning of the radio resources to meet specified traffic demand at busy hours. In a wireless network, a large number of base stations (i.e., cell sites) can be served by one or more antennas. The base station hardware will send a radio frequency signal to the antennas, which will typically be placed on towers or buildings. Each antenna (i.e., sector) serves end-users located in a coverage area. Within a coverage area different types of services can be provided (e.g., voice and data services).
The coverage area provided by an antenna is determined by antenna configurations and input power to the antenna. Antenna configurations are, for example, the antenna horizontal pointing direction, the azimuth beamwidth of the antenna, and down tilt angle of the antenna. Modifying these antenna configurations will change the area the antenna is serving (i.e., coverage area) and possibly areas served by other surrounding antennas.
Input power (i.e., the power sent from the base station or cell site) to the antenna will also affect the coverage of the antenna as well as the interference that impacts the coverage areas of neighboring antennas. For example, if an antenna's input power is increased, the coverage area of the antenna may increase as well, thereby causing interference to the coverage area of a neighboring antenna and affecting the quality of service in that neighboring antenna's coverage area. When the radio signal quality is better, due to good network planning and performance, higher data rates for voice and data services can be achieved without consuming too many radio power resources.
Network planning and optimization is a process of finding the best configuration of the wireless network so as to maximize performance of the network. This process typically starts with an already working wireless network, and then calculations and analysis are done by engineers using software and hardware tools and extensive simulations for the network. Once a better configuration is determined, the new configuration will be manually implemented in the network.
However, network planning and optimization consumes a high amount of human resources and it is a lengthy process which is done only when needed or periodically with long periods between implementation. And, because this process is manual and lengthy, it is conducted with low frequency, which results in leaving the network or parts of the network without optimization for long periods of time.
Thus, network resource usage is not maximized and unused available network resources result in significant revenue loss and quality of service is degraded, which affects the end user's overall customer satisfaction. And, since complex coverage areas have more than one critical site/cell, conflicts can exist between recommendations for optimizing wireless networks, and these conflicts can delay the application of the appropriate recommendations for optimizing wireless network performance. Finally, for more effective optimization of a network, it would be helpful to determine the best previous modifications to the wireless network when performance continues to be degraded.